Sheetala Ashtami 2023, or Basoda 2023 or Basoda festival According to the North Indian calendar, Sheetala Ashtami is celebrated in the months of Chaitra (March–April) offering prayers to goddess Sheetla. On the 8th day of a Krishna Paksha in the month of Chaitra Hindu people in the northern parts of India go on celebrating the Sheetala Ashtami.
The general consensus is that opting for this Vrata helps in the healing of different seasonal ailments prevail during this period. Known by the people of India in various corners of India as Basoda, Sheetala Ashtami 2023 will be observed on 15th March Let us know more about the festival and how to celebrate it.
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We find Goddess Shetala in the Skanda Purana to cure epidemics and sicknesses. People pray to Sheetala Devi to assist her devotees during major epidemics and contagious diseases that threaten living beings on the earth. Hence, the Mother has a pot of medical fluid in one hand and a broom or neem twigs in the other, to represent her ability in purifying the surroundings.
Sheetala Ashtami 2023: Date, Time and Puja Muhurat
Sheetla Saptami will be on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Meanwhile, Sheetala Ashatami is on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. People go for the Basoda Puja during the following time and the Shubh muhurat goes thus.
15 Mar 2023 06:39 AM
15 Mar 2023 06:31 PM
Puja Muhurat on the very day of Sheetala Ashtami: is 15 March 2023 from 06:31 to 06:29 PM
Sheetla Ashtami Tithi starts on March 14, 2023 at 08:22 PM
Sheetla Ashtami Tithi ends on March 15, 2023 at 06:45 PM.
Significance of Sheetla Ashtami
The tale behind the Sheetala Ashtami goes thus. Once upon a time there was no peace on earth. Acute chaos loomed large thee. People were not at peace. They were bitterly tortured by a demon named Jwarasura. He went torturing human beings with various types of diseases. It was his sole aim to inflict human beings with various deadly maladies. Many infectious diseases began to disturb human happiness taking the form of humans.
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In this way Jwarasur created panic among humans leading human beings to utter illness and ultimately led them to death. The diseases that the devil had unleashed were beyond treatment. People who were thus totally under a spll of panic tried their best to keep themselves away from the deadly ailments, but hey failed every time. Hence they decided to worship Devi Adya Shaktii
Devi Ma was pleased with the puja done by the common people and came on earth in the Avatar of Sheetala Mata to guard her devotees. In the very beginning she tried her best to cleanse the water of she rivers and ponds, then she tried her best to purify the air so that pople can take free air. In this way she first impletnted the program of freeing the world from all kinds of pollutions. The devil was vanquished by Mata Sheetala and she changed him into a donkey. He fell on the fet of the Mother and sought Her Grace. He repented for his misdeeds and prayed to the Mother to pardon him. Devi was pleased with his prayer and She turned the demon into a donkey. Since that time the demon turned ino donkey became the vehicle of the Mother.
Ma Sheetala Astami in India
In many parts of India, folks pray to Mother Sheetla so that cure all types of deadly maladies that are seen to take away the lives of common people particularly of those who reside in the farthest corners n the remote areas of our country. According to common faith if the Mother is worshipped with astute devotion she must take care of her sons and daughters and save them from contagious diseases like chicken pox and many others.
During Sheetala Ashtami, stale foods are offered as a part of special rites. Old people too are given food so that they can offer their blessings to the people around junior to them.
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Another mythological tale goes about Sheetla Ashtami Vrat too. The tale is thus.
The Sheetala Ashtami Story
Long ago, on the very day of the Sheetala Ashtami, an old woman and her two daughters-in-law worshipped Goddess Sheetala and prepared food on the day of Saptami to consume the next day. Both the daughters-in-law had sons that are why they were worried of getting sick from the intake of stale food and passing the ailment to the children. Hence, they decided to worship Goddess Sheetala with the old woman. Later on they took warm, fresh food instead of the stale items as per the Puja tradition.
Both of them secretly prepared fresh food to dine and pretended taking stale food. The old woman was quite in the dark in this matter. After a while, the women tried to wake the sleeping grandsons to feed them, but when she entered the room she found them dead. When the old woman wanted to know from her daughters-in-law if they had done any wrong, both of them admitted the truth. The old lady was furious and banished her daughters-in-law from the village. She asked them to return only when they were able to bring the young boys back to life.
The two women roamed around in search of Goddess Sheetala just to seek her favor and the lives of their children back. On the way they by chance came across two sisters, named Ori and Sheetala chatting beneath a large tree. The sisters were highly vexed with lice in their hair and were trying to get rid of them by all means. The two daughters-in-law helped them to get rid of all lice from their heads.
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The two sisters having been extremely relaxed said to them, “Your bellies find peace as you have cooled our heads.” The sisters told them that they were roaming around with the dead bodies of their children in search of Goddess Sheetala, but in vain.
Having heard this one of the sisters told them that they two were sinners, wicked and mischievous. They were not worth looking at. On the day of the Sheetala Ashtami, both of them enjoyed warm food, instead of eating stale, cold food. The daughters-in-law recognized Goddess Sheetala and begged her pardon.
The words melted the heart of the Mother and she forgave them and brought their sons back to life. The two women came back home. They were welcomed by the villagers who came to know that they had met Goddess Sheetala.
Since then the significance of Sheetala Ashtami spread far and wide and the day is celebrated by devotees all over the world.
The day of the Sheetala Ashtami 2023 is going to be held in India with utmost devotion. Actually the Sheetala Ashtami has a great significance in the Hindu religion and is regarded by devotees that if the Mother Sheetal is appeased she can cure all sorts of diseases and help them to get rid of all sufferings. We hope that the details mentioned above have helped the readers to understand all about this auspicious day. We hope that Sheetala Mata will bless you to enjoy happy and healthy lives.
Food to Prepare for Sheetla Ashtami 2023
On the evening before Ashtami, Bhog/Food for Sheetala Mata is prepared. Moreover, on the Sheetala Ashtami you must make roti, pulao, besan, and potato puris.
Offer Bhog to Mata Sheetla Devi temple on the Ashtami day with sweet prepared using milk.
Sheetla Ashtami comes 6 days after the Holi festival but many people observe the Sheetla Ashtami on the first Monday or Thursday after Holi. Sheetala ashtami is on Wednesday, March 15 in the year 2023.
Sheetala Asthami 2023, conclusion
Sheetala Mother is considered as one of the avataars of Goddess Durga. Goddess Sheetala is seated on a donkey holding neem leaves, broom, soup and a clear pot. Skanda Purana goes on explaining the worshipping method of Sheetala Mata. Skanda Purana mentions Sheetala Mata Stotra written by Lord Shiva. It is also known as ‘Sheetalashtak’.
Anyway, behind the mythology there lies the true story of Sheetala Asthami. The truth is that on the very day of Sheetal Ashtami 2023 people have to take pledge that by all means the Earth must have to be freed from all sorts of pollutions.
Some Mothers obey Shitala fast or Vrat for the good health and prosperity of their children.Sheetala Mata wears a red-colored dress, rides a donkey. She has 4 hands which hols a silver broom, small bowl, winnow fan, and river Ganga's jal or water.Famous shrines - Sheetla Mata Mandir in Delhi and Gurgaon, Sheetala Mata temple at Dhanop in Rajasthan are some of the shrines dedicated to Sheetla Mata, to name a few.
On Basoda 2023, offer Sheetala Devi raw lassi in the Bhog.
Young females on this day must avoid hot foods. Households must refrain from lighting chulas or ovens on Sheetala Ashtami to cook food. So one has to prepare foods the previous day and consume that stale food on the day of the Puja day.
Before the Puja, early in the morning, before sunlight, take a bath. Go to the Sheetala temple and offer the Devi Haldi and Bajra. On Basoda listen to the Basoda Vrat Katha having completd the puja. .
Later on offer Mata Sheetala Rabbri, curd, and other offerings.
Seek your elders’ blessings. Make ready the meals for the Goddess and consume the remaining food throughout the day.
Consider taking of stale food as the prasad and serve it to the members of your family.
Additionally, make sure you provide the same food to the poor and other devotees.
Read “Sheetalashtak” on the very day to get favorable results on Sheetala Ashtami 2023.
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